Traction-belt



la-tonted Auf. 26, 1919.

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vnllrlllfz, "llllll a llllll H. lo. STEELE. TRACTION BELT. APPLICATION FILED APR'. l2. |917.

HUeH o. sTEELE, or MINNEAroLIs, MINNESOTA.

TRACTION-BELT.

To all whom. 'it may concern Be it'known that I, Hoon C. STEELE, a

citi-Zen of' the United States, resident of `llrlinneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and usetul Improvements in TractionBelts, of which the following 1s a specification.

The object of' my invention 1s to provide .a traction beit 1n which pivot pins or sim1' lar connecting means are entirely eliminated.

and a belt in which there will be a minimum of friction between the links, thereby greatly increasin Y the life of the belt.

A furt erobject is to provide a belt having means for connection between thelinks which will allow them tof adapt themselves t0 the teeth of the sprocket` but will hold the links rigidly in alinement o n the ground.

'A further object is to provide a means for connecting the links which will permit the convenient separation thereof for renewal or repairs.

The invention consists generally in vari- `ous constructions and combinations, all

as hereinafter described `and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1- is "a view, partiallyin section, of my improved traction belt in position for use, l

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partially in section, of a portion of the belt,

\ Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view through the transverse'mddle portion of. some of the links,

Fig. 4 1s a longitudinal sectional view of a link.

' In the drawin{ ,'2` represents a suitable sprocket wheel.

'joined together in such a manner that each link Amay rock in its bearings on the other link and adapt itself to fit the teeth of the sprocket wheel. The links being all alike, adetailed description of one will be sufiicient'ior all 'of them.

2..` represents the outer or tread plate having upwardly turned end portions 3 at right angles substantially to the middle portion. 4 isan inne plate, fashioned to fit within the plate 2 nd yhaving turned-up end portions and also 'provided on each sideof the center with upwardly turned ears 6 having liolts 'Ttherein `for anti-friction rollers 8. I 'also provide an intermediate plate 9 Specification of Letters Patent.

The belt is composed oiga.' number of correspondmgdmks or sectlns.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

Application'led April 12; 1917. Serial No. 161,508.

fitting between the plates 2 and 4 and angle plates J having upwardly turned ends 10 interposed between the turned up portlons `3 and 5 of the plates 2 and l. These plates are all secured together by suitable means, such as rivets'll.

The inner plate on one edge has a down'l wardly turned longitudinal flange 12 and theouter plate 2 is provided on its opposite edge with an upwardly turned flange orlip 13, said fianges extendimgr a sufficient distance beyond the/other plates to form recessesinto which the oppositely turned lip' or flange of the adjacent link may be in'- serted and have a rocking `or rolling bearing therein. For instance, as plainly shown in Fig. 1, he upper plate of one link interlocks with the edge of the lower plate of the adjoining link, the edges of said plates being rounded, as atlel,` and there being sufiicient clearance between them and the other plates of the links to allo v to rock upon'the adjacent links inbending the chain -as when it is following the ie` 7 PB and the other 1nw-ardly,ras shown plainly in Fig. 2. These lips extend a sulicient distance beyond the intermediate or filler plate to provide vertical gaps or recesses 19 and these lips are so positioned that when the links are assembled to form the belt, the earsof one link will lap by those of the adjacent link and the lips thereon will Iinterlock and while permitting the links to rock in following' the teeth ot' the sprocket, will limit the rocking of the links upon each other.

In passing around asprocket wheel, the interlocking, inwardly projecting portions of the links will follow a shorter arc than the treads of the links, as shown' in Fig. 1,1

and the ears of these inwardly `projecting portions will slide upon each other to aecomnunlate themselves to their shorter are of travel, but when the links are in alinement and traveling on the ground, these interlocking ears will hold them in a substantially rigid position; that is, they cannot buckle or bend or get out of. alinement with each other. This is due to the engagement of the vertically arranged lips 18 arranged one link the tread portions ofthe links,

fio

A,ing lugs'19 has correspondingly shaped recessesZO opat .right angles to the interlocking Ylips of of one pairv of lips to-permit buckling of the belt being counter-acted by the other pair except when the belt is passing around a sprocket wheel, as described above.v

' i The outer plates 2 are provided on one longitudinal edge with outwardly projectand the other longitudinal edge positely arranged so that when the 'sections of the links are assembled togetherthe lugs 1Q o'n one edge of the plates'will enter the recesses 20 in the op` posing edge of the abutting plate. I also provide slots 21 in the intermediate plate 9 arranged to register with corresponding slots in the lips 12 and 13, and? plates 22 are inserted into these. slots in the plate 9 and have their ends protruding therefrom suiliciently to enter the slots in the lips 12 and 13 and overlap the lugs 19. These plates 22, while perinittingtlie links of the belt to rock upon each other, will prevent tlie'lips of one link from becoming separated from the lips. of the abutting links. The meinh bers .of the links will all be interchangeable and punched or pressed out of vsheet metal, or may be' forged or cast,.if preferred. t

4l claim' as my invention:

1'. A traction belt comprising a seriesot links having tread sections, each provided with oppositely turned, longitudinal lips, the lips 4oit one section heiligv oppositely turned from the adjacent lip of thel abut-A ting section for interlocking@therewith and having freedom of rocking upon each other 'and saidv tread sections having end portions provided vwith lips for interlocking with each other and limiting the rockingmove ment of said tread section lips.

2. A traction beltA comprising a Series of links having tread sections com :posed of 'plates provided with oppositely turned longitudinal lips, the lips yof one section interlocking with the lips of theabutting sec'- tions, said xlips having slots therein and plates interposed between thev plates of said tread sections and projecting into said slots rfor preventing the separation or' said lips, and the. ends: of 'said tread sections having Ameans for limiting the rocking movement thereof one upon the other. 3. A tractionbelt :comprising a series of links having lips formed'on their lo ritul dinal edges, and slots provided in ,said lips, the llipsofon'e link interlocking with the lipsof the abutting links, .and ineens bridging the joints Abetween 4the links and XeX- tendiiig into said slots for holding said lips in their interlocking relation. i 4. A. traction belt composed "of a series of the tendency Y .flat tread surfaces, one` I provided with interlocki links, 'each coiiiprising an inner andan outer member l having oppositely 4turned longitudinal lips, recesses being foi-ined be tween the lips of each member and the ad.- jacentlongitudinal edge of the other ineinbei, the lips entering. said recesses and being free to rock therein, and ineens' for prei. venting separation of said interlocking lips. 5. A traction belt comprising a series of links having tread sections composed ot'v inner and outer plates, the vlatter having longitudinal edge for interlocking engagement with. the opw positely turned lip of the other plate in the adjoining link, andnieans for locking -said lips against accidental separation.

6. A traction belt comprising a series o t' links having lips formed on their longitudinal edges, the lips of one link interlockmeans bridging thel joints between the links and extending through said lips -forv holding them in their interlocking relation.

7. A traction belt composed of a series of ing with the lips of the abutting links,4 andy i links, each comprising inner 4and louter i plates having .projecting longitudinal edges ng lips and means between` said vinner and outer platesvand bridging the joints between the links for holding them together.

8. A traction belt comprising a series ot links having `their longitudinal edges pivoted oneupon thek other, said links being provided at their ends with inwardly turned poi-tions, ears mounted on said inwardly turned portions, said ears having lips formed thereon, the lip of oneeai` being oppositely turned ,from that of the adjoin ing ear and contacting therewith 'for liiniting the separation of said ears and the movement ot the links one upontlie other.

9.l A. traction belt composed of a series of links, each link havinglips formed onits longitudinal edges, the lips of one link interlockingwvith the oppositely turnedlips of the abutting links, said links having `dat tread surfaces. and means interposed between said treadsurfaces and said lips vfor holding said links in interlocking engage nient.

each link comprising Y.an inner and an outer oil tread-member; the longituflinal ,edges of said members haviiiginterlolniing i means interposed."f` between said members i for holding'isaid lips lips fornjied v thereon vand .19s. Alt). Atraction belt coniposed of a series of :l

Y links, i i 5 scenes-reinen'. 

